Competition Drives Enhanced Learning

Doing is a powerful way to learn. This educational theory has been time-tested and proven. And it is at the heart of Junior Achievement of Wisconsin’s learning experiences. Over the past seven months, teams of high school students from across Wisconsin participated in JA’s Titan Business Challenge in which high school students compete as business CEOs in the phone industry, experiencing firsthand how a company evaluates alternatives, makes decisions, analyzes the outcomes of those decisions, and then strategizes what to do next. It’s intense and fun.
On May 2, the top two teams from each area competition advanced to the state competition, held at Acuity Insurance in Sheboygan. Not only did the students have a chance to vie for scholarships, they participated in a career fair and even got to take a spin on Acuity’s charity wheel – a 65-foot-high Ferris Wheel at the company’s headquarters that represents the charitable contributions Acuity makes to local, state, and national organizations (including JA!). Watch Video

JA Wisconsin has been running the JA Titan Business Challenge for more than 20 years and historically has had a strong showing in the national competition. The challenges require planning, training, and support from staff, mentors, teachers and sponsors. The payoff can be summed up in one student’s comment: “I really enjoyed the competition and constantly thinking of new strategies.” Cultivating a competitive spirit, building skills and developing confidence to apply those skills: that’s JA in action.
Julie Granger | President
Junior Achievement of Wisconsin
11111 W. Liberty Dr. | Milwaukee, WI. 53224
M: 414-788-4333 | O: 414-577-3810
WOWs | Sharing Our Success
The Results Are In for the 2024 JA Titan Statewide Business Challenge
More than 40 Wisconsin students who had previously won first or second place at their regional JA Titan Business Challenge competitions, came together to compete at the statewide competition at Acuity Insurance in Sheboygan, WI. Congratulations to the top three teams who will advance to the JA Titan National Virtual Competition on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. Learn More
First Place ($1,500 Scholarships)
La Crosse Logan High School
Carson Nelson, Gavin Wappler, Zeke Sanders

Second Place ($1,000 Scholarships)
Wolf River Lutheran School
Luke Hammon, Rylan Bohmback

Third Place ($50 Amazon Gift Cards)
Waunakee High School
Mason Lavold, Sebastian Rasmussen
Where Are They Now?
You might remember the winner of JA's 2022 Young Entrepreneur competition was Middleton High Schooler, Michael Mounajjed, and his cryptocurrency business, Calceus Mining. 

We recently learned from Michael he was the first undergraduate to place in Rice University’s school-wide startup competition. He raised a total of $30.5k in funding to stay on campus through the summer and continue building his newest business venture, a software company called Bonfire. Learn More
JA Financial Literacy Programs Meet the Needs of our Education Partners
In late 2023, the Wisconsin Legislature enacted Act 60 that will require high school students to take a half credit of Personal Finance in order to graduate. With the passage of this new law, Wisconsin became the 24th state in the country to require students to learn money management skills in high school. The law goes into effect with the class of 2028 (this fall’s incoming Freshmen). 

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin stands ready to help high schools across the state fulfill this new mandate. JA Financial Literacy, part of the JA High School Experience courses, is a one-semester, teacher-led course that equips high school students with foundational personal finance skills. These skills include how to earn and save money; manage money by being a wise consumer and creating and using a budget; manage bank accounts, investments, and credit; assess risks and use insurance; and address financial problems like identity theft and debt. Volunteers engage with students through a variety of activities that may include subject-matter guest speaking, coaching, or advising for case study and project coursework. 
 
The JA course is taught by the classroom teacher and uses community volunteers several times during the semester. If you’re a high school teacher or a volunteer who wants to get involved, please reach out to your nearest JA office to learn more about this semester-long curriculum. Learn More
NOWs | Seeking Your Support
We're So Close!
We have over 125,000 students across Wisconsin registered for JA programs during this school year and still need some additional volunteers between now and mid-June. 

How can you help? If you have the time, please consider volunteering during the last few weeks of school. Volunteer Now

If you have the means, please consider making a donation to support JA programming in your area. Donate Now
Don't Let Empty Seats go to Waste - Invite Us!
Do you have a spare seat at your next event? Local business, civic, and non-profit events are vibrant hubs of networking and collaboration. Participation in these celebrations is important for connecting with individuals and organizations who share our passion for youth development. Unfortunately, we don't always have the resources to secure a table or seat at every event. That's why we're bringing you this special request!

How can you help? If you have empty seats at an upcoming event, we'd be honored to join your table. Your generosity in extending an invitation to us is a gift that helps us amplify our reach to foster a stronger, more vibrant community where every young person can realize their full potential. We promise to be great guests, bringing enthusiasm, knowledge, and a shared commitment to building a brighter future for our youth. If you have tickets you're willing to share, even last minute, please contact Jenny Gryniewicz at jgryniewicz@jawis.org.